Ignite NEB 2026 - Open call for hosts

Ignite NEB Open call for hosts

Your community. Your challenges. Your solutions.

Become a local host & empower changemakers!

What is Ignite NEB?

Ignite NEB supports local organisations to run a full innovation journey that helps people:

• turn ideas into real projects, start-ups or initiatives
• create their own jobs
• solve challenges in their own communities

Each selected partner will deliver:

1. Ignite NEB event (Ideation + Celebration)

A local, inspiring, 2+ day hackathon-style experience including:

• NEB Celebration (art, culture, performances)
• Ideation workshops (challenge → solution → pitch)
• Participants: citizens & change makers, challenge owners (e.g. city, NGOs, industry), coaches & mentors
• Pre-event sessions (training, team formation, challenge definition)
• Jury selects two winning teams/ideas
• Should be delivered in September/October 2026

2. 8-month incubation programme

Supporting winning teams from the Ignite NEB event to:

• Develop their ideas
• Build and test prototypes
• Validate or co-design solutions with real users
• Develop business or implementation models
• Engage stakeholders and communities
• Create new SMEs, start-ups, initiatives

What do you get?

• Up to €52,000 implementation budget per host
• Support from EIT Community NEB to deliver:
  • Ignite NEB event
    • § peer group with other hosts across Europe
    • § support in event design and promotion
    • § Incubation programme
    • § EIT Community NEB mentors assigned to winning teams
    • § exchange with other programmes tapping into the pipeline of Ignite NEB winner projects
  • o In-person gathering with NEB Changemakers across Europe

What are we looking for?

We are looking for organising partners or consortia that:

• · Can mobilise local communities
• · Have an entrepreneurial network
• · Can support teams through idea → prototype → real-world testing
• · Have experience in NEB-related fields (sustainability, design, culture, social innovation)
• · Can provide or connect to:
  • o mentors
  • o prototyping spaces
  • o local ecosystems (public, private, civil society)
• Have capacity for project, financial, and administrative management

Timeline

• Opening call: 20th March 2026
• Information session: 9th April 2026
• Deadline for call content questions: 16th April 2026
• Call FAQ posting: 20th April 2026
• Closing call: 7th May 2026 (17:00 CEST)
• Admissibility and eligibility checks: 14th May 2026
• Evaluations: 22nd May 2026
• Consensus meeting: 26th May 2026
• Communication of final selection to the participants: 29th May 2026
• Deadline to sign FSA: 29th June 2026
• Start of programme: 1st July 2026

Checklist

You are:

• A legal entity or consortium
• Based in or connected to Europe
• Proposing activities in your location
• Experienced in community engagement/innovation/culture
• Are connected to an innovation network
• Have facilities for prototyping and testing
• Experienced in running similar events and processes

You can:

• Organise a 2+ day event + pre-sessions
• Run a 8-month incubation programme
• Support teams to reach prototype and testing stage
• Help create and set up new ventures or initiatives
• Manage budget and reporting

How to apply:

• Go to MyEITFood.eu
• Complete the online application form
  • Take a look at the evaluation criteria in the Call manual!
• Upload required documents:
  • Budget file
  • Proof of incorporation
  • Proof of revenue or investment

Submit by 7th May 2026 (17:00 CEST)